Home Page - Radiation Control Program

The Texas Department of State Health Services, Radiation Control Program, has the important mission to protect and promote the physical and environmental health of the people of Texas. We strive to prevent unnecessary radiation exposure to the public through effective licensing, registration, inspection, enforcement, and emergency response.

In accordance with Senate Bill 202 (84th Regular Session, 2015), regulatory authority over the State’s Laser Hair Removal Program has been transferred to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). All inquiries in regard to
this occupation should be directed to TDLR.

Please click the link below to access the Laser Hair Removal section of the TDLR website for details:

You should follow the recommendations of your local emergency response organization to protect yourself and others from harm. If you discover that radioactive material in your possession has become lost, you should contact the Radiation Hot Line at 512 458-7460 to report the loss. A
team of radiation control staff is available to respond to your call.

As a reminder, lost and damaged radioactive isotopes requiring the physical protection specified in 289.252(ii) must be reported immediately by telephone after the loss, attempted actual theft or damage becomes known. Other radioactive isotopes are reported according to the activity of the
isotope. Isotopes equal to or greater than 1000 times the value found in the table at 289.202(ggg)(3) of the Radioactive Material License Rules must be reported immediately by Telephone. Isotopes equal to or greater than 10 times the value in 289.202(ggg)(3) must be reported in writing within 30 days
if it is still missing.

If your facility is affected by the storm, and if you have determined that your radioactive material is secure and accounted for, please notify us after the storm passes your area by email (
ramnotice@dshs.texas.gov) or fax (512
834-6654). If you determine radioactive material is missing or damaged, or the security of your storage facility is compromised, notify us immediately by telephone using the numbers provided below during business hours, or after business hours, use our emergency assistance number 512-458-7460.

Lost or damaged records:

The Radiation Control Program is aware that some of you in areas affected by Harvey and flooding have lost or had damage to the records that you are required to maintain for compliance. You may be able to replicate some of the lost or damaged records by requesting copies from your service providers, consultants,
or from your undamaged electronic versions of the documents. Our inspectors are aware of the areas that have been affected by Harvey and will take this into consideration during future inspections.

We recommend you make a complete assessment as soon as possible of the documents that are permanently lost and unrecoverable, and maintain this assessment for future review by the agency. The assessment should include the category or type of document (ex.: leak test, storage area survey, instrument or dose calibrator
calibration, public dose estimate, occupational dose record), the date or date range for the lost documents, and the reason for loss. Do not submit the assessment to the agency. We will review the assessment during our next site visit or inspection.

To x-ray and mammography
registrants impacted by Hurricane Harvey:

The Radiation Control Program is aware that some of you have lost or had damage to the records that you are required to maintain for compliance. Our inspectors are aware of the areas that have been affected by Harvey and will take this into consideration during future inspections.

Make an assessment and document as soon as possible record(s) that were lost and were unable to be replaced due to damage caused by hurricane Harvey and/or floods. Do not submit the assessment to the agency. We will review the assessment during our next
site visit or inspection.

Reach out to your service company, Licensed Medical Physicist and the provider of personnel monitoring for replacement records

The radiation program file room maintains copies of your current Certificate of Registration and previous correspondence. We do not maintain all of the records registrants need for compliance.

If your mammography facility has to replace a mammography equipment system, you must go through the normal certification and accreditation process for the new equipment. If repair is needed, follow current mammography requirements for when repairs are made or major
components are changed and you must have a physicist do a Mammography Equipment Evaluation (MEE).

In accordance with section 418.016 of the Texas Government Code, the Office of the Governor temporarily suspended all necessary DSHS statutes and rules pertaining to professional and business license or certification renewal applications, including the suspension of any late fees related to renewal for a period not to exceed 90 days for those programs that are listed below.

The effects of this suspension are to:

Waive any required late fees related to renewal for a period not to exceed 90 days; and

Extend the term of any professional and business license listed below for a period of not more than 90 days to allow license/certificate holders affected by Hurricane Harvey time to submit the appropriate documentation and renewal fee.

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